Nordstrom announces expansion into Canada; appoints company veteran to lead new venture

Seattle -- It’s official: Nordstrom is expanding into Canada. The department store chain on Thursday announced that it will open its first full-line stores in Canada, starting in fall 2014. It named veteran Nordstrom executive Karen McKibbin, most recently VP president and regional manager of Northern California and Hawaii, as president of Nordstrom Canada.

Nordstrom said is partnering with commercial real estate company Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited to lease four stores at shopping centers in Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.

The retailer will be moving into spaces that will be vacated by Sears and then renovated at Pacific Centre in Vancouver, Chinook Centre in Calgary, and Rideau Centre in Ottawa. It will also open a new-construction store in Sherway Gardens in Toronto.

The Calgary location will open first, in fall 2014. It will be followed in spring 2015 by the stores in Ottawa and Vancouver. The Toronto store is estimated to open in fall 2016 (all dates are tentative). The stores will range from 138,000-sq. ft. to 230,000 sq. ft.

“Cadillac Fairview has been instrumental in helping us get started in Canada, and we're thrilled to be part of these premier shopping destinations,” said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores, Nordstrom.

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